#KogiDecides: The Return of The Generals

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The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, incumbent Governor Idris Wada are not aiming at soft targets in the quest of the ruling PDP to ward off the challenge of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and retain Kogi State ahead the November 21 elections.

The self-professed First and Second Executive Governor of Kogi State, Audu, failed in his bid to make history as the first Nigerian to be sworn-in thrice as governor, when he lost the 2003 governorship race to a “mass movement”, led by what became famous as a coalition of “Generals” in mufti. The Generals referred to both retired military officers and political juggernauts in Kogi who, in no short supply, anchored the tsunami that brought Audu down from his high horses.

Audu, subsequently, preferred to call it a “gang-up”.

Now, they are back to their trenches. Except, of course, this time, the story is a bit different. Audu is not the incumbent.  But the target remains: Audu must be stopped from claiming the third victory that he sought and failed to achieve in 2003.

Prominent on the roll call of the Generals who stopped Audu in 2003 and are back to their trenches, is Tunde Ogbeha, the Director-General of the Wada Campaign Organisation.

Remember him? The gap-toothed retired but never-say-die Brigadier-General, one-time Military Governor of Akwa Ibom and Edo States, and two-time Senator, Kogi West zone. The essence of Ogbeha’s ‘return’ will be appreciated by consummate followers of the events preceding the 2003 governorship election for his role culminating in the famous ouster of Audu.

Whilst God created man in His own image, at a time Audu had taken God in his likeness and semblance, and emasculated the soul of Kogi State, it took the courage of one man to look straight into the eyes of the Prince of Ogbonicha and tell him, ‘Kogi is not your property”. He is Tunde Ogbeha.

From one profession of highly regimented tradition to another of free expression, Ogbeha combined his experiences to launch the tsunami that worked the magic of 2003.

The final result was the permanent change of baton at the 1901 Lugard House from All Peoples Party, APP (later known  as All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP) to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, till date.

Ogbeha is thereafter remembered for his famous speech during a reception at the Lokoja Township Stadium, for former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the run-up to the 2003 polls.

Said Ogbeha: ‘Mr President, it is instructive that your visit to Kogi State today coincides with your birthday. The most befitting birthday present we can give to you and share with our people here in Kogi State, is to ensure that by the forthcoming election, our state is returned to the mainstream of our national politics. This we will do by making sure that the PDP takes over Kogi State.

“I want to assure you, Mr President, that this will be the last time you will ride in the same car with your host, the out-going governor, Prince Abubakar Audu, on your visits to Kogi State.

“I refer to him as “out-going” because our people are united in our resolve to ensure he is not returned to office by May 2003.”

True to Ogbeha’s promise, Audu never returned to Government House, Lokoja as Chief Executive of Kogi State!

Ogbeha was not alone in that battlefield. He had with him Prince Olusola Akanmode, a one-time Permanent Secretary, Kogi State Secretary to the State Government, SSG, and later Deputy Chief of Staff,  Office of the Vice President, as well as the late Senator Ahmed Tijani Ahmed, the iconic political leader of Ebira politics.

But Ogbeha undoubtedly was the arrowhead of the operation “Audu Must Go!”.

Ogbeha had opted for a low profile since he exited the Red Chambers in 2007.  However, for those who are familiar with the attributes of the soldier-turned-politician, one attribute they will attest to is his ability to succeed. His foray into broadcasting, a terrain very different from his erstwhile martial calling, is a case in point.

Ogbeha is not the only retired military officer in the battle for the November 21 governorship poll.

He has with him General David Jemibewon, military governor of the Old Western State and Police Affairs Minister in the first coming of former President Obasanjo, former Chief of Army Staff, General Salihu Ibrahim, former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isaac Alfa, one-time Federal Commissioner for Education and later, National Chairman of the PDP, Colonel Ahmadu Ali, General Yusuf Amuda, etcetera.

The non-military political “Generals” poised for a repeat showdown with Audu include Sola Akanmode, immediate past SSG who was also in the Federal House of Representatives, Musa Ahmadu, former Minister of State for Health Ministry, Chief Gabriel Aduku, former Deputy Governor of old Benue State, Alhaji Sule Iyaji, PDP state Women Leader, Olori Margaret Orebiyi, former Auditor-General of Kogi State, Hajia Ladi Ibrahim, another former member of House of Representatives and onetime Commissioner for Finance, Chief Abiodun Ojo and three other former SSGs, namely: Chief Patrick Adaba, Alhaji Aliyu Omeiza Salami and Chief Sola Ojo. Incidentally, Adaba was deputy governor to Audu between 1999 and 2003.

Chief Sam Ola Akande who also was Deputy Governor to Audu, during his first rule between 1991 and 1993 is also queued in the anti-Audu build up ahead the November poll and indeed Audu’s running mate in the 2011 gubernatorial election when he ran on the platform of the defunct ACN, Barr Henry Ojuola.

There are also pioneer Chairman of PDP in the State, Dr Kayode Ige, Senator Atai Idoko (Kogi East), Hon TJ Yusuf, member, House of Representatives for Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Constituency and Hon Sunday Karimi (Yagba Federal Constituency); Senator-elect during the defunct Third Republic and now Special Adviser to the Governor on Pension matters, Alhaji Ado Shuaibu, the Galadima of Lokoja, Chief James Katugwa and billionaire owner of Waltersmith Petroman Oil, Abdulrazaq Kutepa, Lagos-based highbrow Management Consultant Otunba Funsho Owoyemi and Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi. The list is contingent!

There are 15 state House of Assembly members from the 25 state constituencies and 20 of 21 elected council chairmen and 200 out of 239 councillors.

Ogbeha who is Director-General of the Wada Campaign Organisation, summarized the issues in the current battle against Audu in a recent interview, thus: “If you look at the two candidates, you will know who is coming back to rescue or coming back to loot. We have had a taste of the APC candidate and we know that Kogi state is still battling to get some of our funds that are supposed to have been missing under his watch. That is not the case with Wada. So, we are bringing to the people of Kogi, honesty, transparency, prudence, humility and above all the fear of God. All these characteristics I have mentioned, you cannot find in the candidate of APC.”

Against the backdrop of the nomination of Hon James Abiodun Faleke, a serving member of the House of Representatives for Ikeja, Lagos Federal Constituency as running mate of Audu, Ogbeha threw more light on the grouse of the Kogi elite against the Audu candidature. He said: “Again, we don’t want Kogi to be up for sale to somebody outside Kogi. We are in Kogi to work for Kogi.

We cannot entrust our destiny to somebody outside Kogi or at the end of the day, you will find that Kogi starts paying some tollgates or some toll fees to some political godfathers that we don’t know, as we heard is happening in other places. Whatever it is, as the saying goes, the devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know. We know Wada, we know his capability. We know what he can do but we don’t know what somebody who is outside the state can do. Is he going to sell off our state, sell off our resources? Somebody from outside? No, and I’m sure Kogites will not allow that.”

However, Audu will count on a few factors to rise up to the challenge posed by the mountain of opposition to his bid to return to the Lugard House. These include the almighty federal might. Admittedly this factor played a major role in the victories of the PDP in governorship elections 2003, 2007 and 2011 against Audu. In the forthcoming November 21, 2015 election, however, the reverse is the case. Audu’s APC controls the government at the centre and he is expected to benefit from the federal might to add up to the two senators and six members of the House of Representatives elected on the APC platform, against one senator and three representatives elected on the PDP platform.

The APC also added more members in the state House of Assembly, increasing its tally to 10 members as against 15 PDP members. Recently, James Ocholi, SAN, an APC chieftain and Audu’s co-contestant in the August APC gubernatorial primary election in Kogi, was nominated and confirmed as Minister in the Federal Cabinet, to further boost the base of the party in its bid to unseat Wada and PDP.

However, for the above factors to favourably count for the APC candidate towards the election, the party must be seen to come bonded and members shelve their differences. Unfortunately, the picture on ground, looks different.

From President Muhammadu Buhari, some APC senators to Ocholi and other Audu co-contestants during the primaries, all cannot be said to be well for the party in Kogi State.

An evidence of bottled up acrimony ravaging the rank of the APC in Kogi is the 11-page report of the Gubernatorial Primaries Appeal Panel recommending the disqualification of Audu as APC gubernatorial candidate in Kogi State for the November 21 election. The report unequivocally recommended the adoption of the runner up in the primaries, Alhaji Yahaya Bello as Audu’s replacement. Bello had written a petition to the panel challenging the authenticity of Audu’s emergence as the APC flag bearer.

Yahaya cited Audu’s trial involving N11 billion alleged fraud when he was governor, instituted against him by the EFCC, which is still pending in the court. The runner up also pointedly alleged flagrant disregard for the constitution of the party by Audu who was photographed voting for himself during the primary election despite not resigning his position as a member of the APC BOT.

Nothing has been heard of the report since it was submitted to the party’s NWC for deliberation.

Neither have the two camps of Audu and Bello been seen working together towards achieving victory for the APC in the election.

Just recently, Audu reportedly criticised Buhari’s choice of James Ocholi, as ministerial nominee, claiming he was not consulted by the president before the choice was made. A reaction that did not go down well with Ocholi supporters in the state.

Audu’s characteristic winner-takes-all attitude since picking the APC ticket, coupled with his simmering cold relationship with Buhari’s men in Kogi APC, such as James Ocholi and Yahaya Bello a.k.a.Fairplus, is cause for concern.The APC candidate is also alleged to have relegated his co-contestants in the APC gubernatorial primary to the back seat refusing to toe the more honourable path of reconciliation and politics of inclusiveness. It is yet to be seen, for instance, which of Audu’s near two dozen opponents in the August primary election is working with him to actualise his mandate.

To underscore the President Buhari’s alleged reservations against Audu, Buhari was said to have refused to grant the APC candidate audience in Paris, when the President was guest of the French government early September, shortly after Audu won the APC gubernatorial primaries in Kogi State.

In recent weeks, strenuous efforts by Prince Abubakar Audu to see President Muhammadu Buhari in  Abuja have ended at the bus stop of the COS in the State House. This is because the President is resolved not to give Audu the slightest of windows for any form of political propaganda,” alleged a source in the APC.

The other matter discussed in loud and hushed tones is Audu’s decision to pick James Abiodun  Faleke as his running mate from outside the pokitical class in Kogi State and without consultation with members of the party in the state. The choice of Faleke, known to have served twice as a council chairman and who is a serving federal legislator in Lagos State has become a dialectical matter.

While some APC members applauded the choice of Faleke who originally hails from Ekinrin Adde, Ijumu local government area in Kogi West, some members are divided over the expediency and propriety of  the choice of a “ virtual foreigner”.

Audu’s recent justification of his choice of Faleke in an interview, accentuated, rather than alleviated the wounds of the aggrieved home-based party men and women.

Audu had said inter alia: “I have tried home-based people as my running mates in the past and they all brought disappointment to our team, so I felt I should look out for someone with a wider horizon and one who understands the concept of development and has bundles of experience in same. I got Faleke after a thorough search.”

The choice of Faleke rankles deep among Audu’s erstwhile associates in the APC. Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi West, is said to be miffed that apart from the fact that he was not taken into confidence by Audu on the matter, Faleke’s emergence was a tacit ploy to upset his (Melaye’s) political fiefdom. Faleke originally hails from Ijumu local government area, where Melaye also comes from.

Faleke’s emergence is also causing fissures in Kogi West which had always been a united political block. Yagba Federal Constituency which is made up of Mopamuro, Yagba East and Yagba West LGAs, consider the Faleke project a brazen attempt to rob them of the deputy governorship, a position they have held through Yomi Awoniyi, since January 27, 2012.

The cosmopolitan Lokoja/Kotonkarfe federal constituency which has serially brought significant numbers to the voting harvest of candidates backed by them in various elections over the years, are also up in arms against Audu and his running mate. They wonder why no consideration was given to their christian sons in Audu’s choice of running mate.

Senator representing Kogi Central, Mohammed Ohiare, has also been quoted as saying Audu will not get the support of his zone, particularly because they were not enlisted on the issue of Audu’s running mate. Ohiare’s position has been amplified by various interest groups in the zone who have wondered why the interests of Bello, Senator Usman Abatemi and Alhaji Abubakar Sanusi, all from Central, who emerged second, third and fourth respectively, at the APC primaries, were not accommodated in Audu’s choice of running mate.

Recent unfavourable pronouncements by the various election tribunals sitting in Lokoja has further unsettled the Audu camp. The loss of the Senate seat of Kogi East and the state constituency seat of Ankpa 1 to PDP opponents on similar grounds of failure to conduct primaries, is another albatross woven around the APC candidate. Audu is alleged to have handpicked candidates for the APC during the primaries as against allowing for internal democracy in the party. His loyalists were said to have been picked ahead of popular aspirants. This act of disregard for internal democracy in the APC is said to be responsible for the mass defection to the Accord Party in some parts of the state.

An account was made of Sam Bamidele Aro, a former House of Representatives member for Yagba Federal Constituency. Aro who recently contested for the Senate to represent Kogi West under APC, was said to have been blocked by Audu. Aro went on to contest the election as the Accord Party candidate. And though he lost the election to the eventual winner, Dino Melaye, Aro is said to have directed his supporters to vote for the PDP candidate in the governorship election.

Meanwhile, the PDP has continued to consolidate its base. Immediately after the PDP primary election was decided in his favour, Wada embarked on intense reconciliatory moves to woo his opponents in the PDP, Jibrin Echocho, Moses Amoto and Muhammed Alli. Serious efforts were also made to appeal to aggrieved chieftains of the PDP such as Senator Smart Adeyemi, Sunday Karimi, among others. The efforts yielded desired results as all the above mentioned actors remained with Wada, with the exception of Echocho, Wada’s main opponent in the PDP primaries, who jumped ship declaring support for Audu and APC.

The celebrations in the Audu’s camp over Echocho’s arrival, however, did not last, following the decision by some main backers of the former Afribank Director, not to follow him to APC. Matters came to a head when Echocho’s spokesman for six years, Phrank Shaibu declared allegiance to PDP. Shaibu, consequently was named Chief Communication Officer of the Lugard House by Wada. Echocho’s allies, Karimi and Smart Adeyemi also refused to leave the PDP. Karimi was in Wada’s campaign train when the team visited Yagba West and East recently.

It will be recalled that Wada had won the PDP ticket coasting to victory in 20 of the 21 councils to emerge as the PDP Governorship Candidate. Echocho won only in Yagba West Council.

But Audu feels differently. As far as he was concerned, his achievements during his first and second coming surpassed those of all his successors put together. He believes he is loved by the people and his current aspiration to return to power is a rescue mission.

Likening his story to Buhari’s, Audu replied his critics, “I have said it before. They rigged the elections in 2003, in 2007 and in 2011. Not that they beat me. I won the elections. But this time, that there will be free, credible and transparent election, let’s go and face the electorate.”

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